Jackson, Mississippi—Mississippi First is pleased to announce the release of the 2023 Public Perception of Charter Schools survey report, which provides critical insights into public understanding and support of charter schools in Mississippi. This comprehensive survey was conducted by the Survey Research Lab (SRL) at Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center. The survey captured responses from a…
Read More2024 Legislative Review
By Toren Ballard, Director of K-12 Policy and Micayla Tatum, Director of Early Childhood Policy An historic rewrite of Mississippi’s school funding formula and the subsequent allocation of record amounts of public education funding headlined an eventful inaugural session for Mississippi legislators elected this past November. The 2024 legislative session will also be remembered…
Read MoreMississippi First Releases Its First Public Perception Survey of Early Childhood in Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi—Mississippi First is proud to announce the release of its newest report, 2023 Public Perception of Early Childhood Education in Mississippi, which provides valuable insights into Mississippians’ views on the importance, affordability, and accessibility of early childhood education. The survey results underscore the widespread public support for pre-K and early learning initiatives across the state….
Read MoreHouse Bill 4130: Mississippi School Funding Formula
Committee Education Author Rob Roberson Session 2024 Session Latest Action On May 8, the Governor signed HB 4130 into law. Explanation of the Bill Once approved by the Governor, House Bill 4130 will replace the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) school funding formula with the Mississippi School Funding Formula (MSFF). MSFF is a weighted student…
Read MoreSenate Bill 3231: PERS Changes
Committee Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency (Senate); State Affairs (House) Author David Parker Session 2024 Session Latest Action On May 9, SB 3231 became law without the Governor’s signature. Explanation of the Bill Once approved by the Governor, Senate Bill 3231 will increase the PERS employer contribution rate by 2.5% over five years, starting with a 0.5%…
Read MoreSenate Bill 2740: Pooling Risk for Insurance
Committee Insurance Author J. Walter Michel Session 2024 Session Latest Action The Governor signed SB 2740 into law on April 15. Explanation of the Bill Senate Bill 2740 would allow the governing board of any county, municipality, school district, or community college district to collaborate with the governing board of another political subdivision to pool…
Read MoreHouse Bill 1341: Children of Military Personnel
Committee Education Author Kelvin Felsher Session 2024 Session Latest Action On April 20, the Governor signed HB 1341 into law. Its provisions will go into effect on July 1, 2024. Explanation of the Bill House Bill 1341 would slightly revise residency requirements for an existing “open enrollment” pathway to allow children of active service members…
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